J. Cole shook things up this week when he announced he had a new album on the way. As promised, the Dreamville founder has now delivered KOD, a 12-track follow-up to 2016’s 4 Your Eyez Only.
The project features two guest spots from the mysterious Kill Edward, who many believe is Cole’s alter ego.
KOD — the North Carolina-bred rapper’s fifth studio album — carries three different meanings: Kids On Drugs, King Overdose, and Kill Our Demons.
Check out the KOD album stream below and scroll further down for the cover art and tracklist.
(The original version of this article was published on April 18, 2018 and can be found below.)
Seemingly out of nowhere, J. Cole announced this week he was dropping a new studio album titled KOD on Friday (April 20). Now, the Dreamville founder has shared the cover art and tracklist for the project.
The cover art features the words “This album is in no way intended to glorify addiction” and drawings of several children sipping lean, snorting cocaine and smoking weed. In terms of guest spots, the mysterious “Kill Edward” is the sole listed feature.
The project will mark the Dreamville founder’s fifth studio album and follow-up to 2016’s 4 Your Eyes Only.
Cole previewed the album during surprise shows in New York City on Monday (April 16) and London on Tuesday (April 17). No phones, cameras or bags were allowed inside.
This isn’t the first time Cole has dropped an album on short notice. In 2014, he released 2014 Forest Hill Drive with little to no promo and without any lead singles, and the album still went double platinum (with no features).
Check out the cover art and tracklist below.
- Intro
- KOD
- Photograph
- The Cut Off f. Kill Edward
- ATM
- Motiv8
- Kevin’s Heart
- Brackets
- Once An Addict (Interlude)
- Friends f. Kill Edward
- Window Pain (Outro)
- 1985 (Intro To The Fall Off)
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Well…. the cover art is pretty dope
My thoughts exactly, especially being an artist that has done several album covers for upcoming musicians from around my way, this is an ill ass concept.
Oh really? Anywhere I can see your work?
And yeah if the subject matter matches the cover, I think this might be a crazy album
Still in the process of putting together a site, but if you’re interested in getting something done then gimme a call, leave a message, & I can show u slides of my work…609-470-7571
Jaden Johnson to FOH
April 18, 2018 | 4:31 PM
Still in the process of putting together a site, but if you’re interested in getting something done then gimme a call, leave a message, and I can show u slides of my work…609-470-7571
COLE WORLD!
Ghost of Christmas Present
I just had my first solid bowel movement in days
Well not all the way solid in fact far from it but we are trending in the right direction
Thanks for sharing brother.
You are such a great honorable man
my condolences. keep us updated.
Bad news guys, back to splash waterfalls
Hol’ up. Solid meaning good or solid meaning non-liquid?
I don’t like the cover art. Too much color, too much cartoon for a J. Cole project, specially in contrary to his previous artworks.
I like it. It looks interesting. It’ll be interesting how he approaches this topic. A lot of artists have spoken on drugs before.
I just hope this is better than 4 Your Eyez Only. I only liked 4 songs top off that album.
This shit looks insane.
Does KOD means Kendrick Or Drake?
Why? Moron u ain’t even funny
nah. Kendrick O V E R Drake
Kill Edward is J. Cole with glasses.
Cannot wait for this
I hope this cover art is a sign that this album won’t put me to sleep like 4YEO
King of dreams
Kids on Drugs
Whoa. Y’all don’t even understand how deep that cover is. Get ready for the “this album is boring” rants from drugged up millenals with no attention span or ability to digest full concepts.
I think história stuff is boring and i can definately digest full concepts. Stuff like TPAB, Veteran, Kanye albums, 36 chambers dirty version( in a raw sort of way) are conceptual and actually good instead of this fake deep pendantic bullshit.
Kanye is the definition of “fake deep.”
Maybe but Kanye’s a musical genius. Hate it or love it but his albums are musically incredible (for the most part).
The top part of the cover is King Overdose, middle is Kill Our Demons, and the bottom half is Kids on Drugs..all 3 being the what KOD stands for
Damn good break down !
Making another album with just yourself is a recipe for disaster, you get no outside influence or guidance. I’ll give it a listen but if he goes the 4 your eyes way then he’ll never get a grammy (which he most wants) and looks like his aiming for with all this pseudo deep shit.
Rapping about your friend getting murdered, and dedicating the album to the mans fatherless daughter, while telling her how good of a man he was, while also telling her his last words, is “pseudo deep?” No, you’re Pseudo Intelligent.
ETHER
Stanley! Why is u so butt hurt
He wasn’t butthurt, obviously 40+ people agree with him.
Listen to the second track of the album he will tell you why
You’re retarded af. You only see things at face value. You don’t even let the actual music be played before you complain. You’re a btch.
Agreed. That was was on the dumbest comments Iv seen
Fr, classic example of judging a book by its cover and not reading it.
ARE THOSE THE KIDS FROM HEY ARNOLD! ON THE COVER?
The fuck.. did you even watch Hey Arnold
Move it, football head!
Jermaine is one of the best of his generation BUT this album is not good. Sorry !
I liked this album a lot. KOD was a great song. I like how he adresses him not having any features. The lyrics on Once An Addict is some great storytelling. J Cole use a lot of different flows on this project which is refreshing. Overall a very dope high quality album. Very chill vibe.
Half way into the album and it’s as expected! the intro is useless, KOD and ATM is a slapper no lie and like he said himself, he could have used some features K.dot, Ghost, Dave East heck even Chris Brown Lol . Kendrick = humble (plenty grammys), Cole (like his stans) = butt hurt and only going platinum with no features! [2.9/5}
Perhaps he’s not making music to please people like you who want a corny ass Chris Brown feature.
Haha, I hope you don’t look as dumb as you sound right now. Get Cole’s dick out your mouth and go fold your girlfriends clothes or something!
This album is fire, there’s only three songs I don’t like
Once a addict
ATM
kod
Photograph
These are fire tracks!
Everyone’s allowed to not like an album, but please give a reason. Hiphopdx has become infested with haters the last couple years.
Listen to 1985. He explains why you’re into 21Savage and not Cole.
He’s grown lyrically. I’m loving the twisting flows and the fact there’s little to no trap influence. The thing with Cole, is he follows through on consistent LP’s. He turned the energy up a little, which is appreciated. The cover is the dopest he’s had. I’ve always felt underwhelmed by his artwork. Happy to still be a fan, putting up with The Sideline Story after Friday Night Lights broke the internet back then, made me question why I was so hyped about this MC. Content wise, I know this will sit with me for a long while. Thank you Cole.
Okay, Cole got some heat this time around. I like this one.
So I’m an oldhead. 43 yrs young. I have 3 sons, twins who are 20 and a 14 yr old. Twins are in college. I wake up this morning to this text from one of my twins:
“Cole new music be so refreshing. Like I can listen to the mumble rappers for fun if I’m tryna just turn up, but Cole SPITS about real stuff. Listen to Brackets”.
So what did I do, soon as I woke up, went to Tidal and listened to Brackets. Fire. Then got the 14 year old for school, and we drove to the train listened to the some of the rest. While unlike my sons I can’t listen to the mumble rap, the Cole’s Kendricks, and few others newer artists have a fan in me. Cole is special, and doesn’t hurt that he’s from my grandmom and mom’s hometown of Fayetteville.
Thanks Cole! The Lyrics keep Flowin!
Good emcee and one of the most boring artists in Hip-Hop history. What a combination….
Eh, his style is kinda poetic. He’s more of a reflection artist. To some that might be boring. Some people are into straight bangers with their artist changing the pitch of their voice and using studio effects. Not everyone isn’t into that. Some people have a sober mind and are more like thinkers. People say Nas has boring beats yet his words carry most of his songs
You’re 100%. Different flavors for different people.
Wait, boring beats? have you heard Illmatic? Arguably best production in a rap album ever.
The only people that say nas had boring beats are obviously gays or females that like a certain kind of up tempo beat to twerk too.REAL straight men like head nodding beats.
I wonder what the first singles going to be. Its obviously going to be the tracks with the highest tempos.
Honestly i dont like it…cant even explain why..just something bout it..gnna give another shot..but not feeling it
I did one listen through. Felt the same. Almost like it’s kind of repetitive, but I’m going to give it a couple more. Hopefully it grows on me.
It’s what I expected from J. Cole, deep, true, relevant music. I’m posting after one full listen. I like the album a lot, I prefer this kind of music over trendy music any day. ATM, BRACKETS, Once an Addict, Window Pain & 1985 stood out to me the most (1985 was clowning, laying down the law and even giving advice all at once, take heed stupid drugged up, random tattoo faced, stupid fucking mumble rappers). Props J. Cole.
Cole is a very morose, melancholic artist and that’s fine. Yes it’s dark, yes it’s thought provoking. You can find turn up artists elsewhere if that’s your thing. He’s like “The Smiths” of rap. I dig it.
Cole is one of a very few that reminds me of when RAP was still alive, Nas – Mobb Deep – BTNH – Eminem – OutKast – Wu Tang – DMX back in the day…
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…….booooooorrrrrrriiiiiiinnnngggg…….sssssnnnnooooozzzzeeeeffffeeesttttttt
I like it. I dig it. I honestly prefer Cole with zero trap influences. Give me an album similar to Friday Night Lights, and it’s over! Solidify your CLASSIC status. For some reason his mainstream albums are dumbed down with trap influenced synths and hihats. Steer clear of that sound.
Don’t bring that psycho shit to meeeeeeeee!
Obviously he’s being sarcastic fucking dumbasses. Even though Tech’s K.O.D. was better imo
Hell yeah was saying the same thing to myself, Kendrick inspired him, I also think the Black album did, with the girl talking and him having a lot of honest tracks.
I was excited by the cover and concept, but only really like the two last songs. I actually prefer the track with royce da 59 over any of these songs. IMHO I feel like every J. Cole album has something missing from the previous one.
Ironically I feel like you’ve gotta be high to really appreciate this
This album is so freakin dope. Wow! Very thought provoking storytelling lyrics. Very straight forward and relatable content. 4.5 stars
generic forgettable typical offering from the played out hip-hop industry..
honestly the mainstream hip-hop community has been making the same song for the past 10 years..
remember the days when being unique and lyrically impressive was that solidified your place in hiphop?
remember hip-hop?..
yeah.. me too. the gift and the curse of growing up in the golden era.
I hope you don’t act like this in public.
Coles skills lyrically and on the mic can’t be denied and love the thought provoking subjects to each song and the album as a whole this is top notch hip hop special album rite hurrrr..*****
stop bitchin. you hating on this dude? stop trippin too. wasn’t nobody tryna take tech N9ne’s washed up shit. most of his songs are washed up and trash.
KOD Kinda Of Dumb that is what is the album is